TNG:TCF- The Rescue Mission
by CharlieGreene
Summary: When the Enterprise is attacked and Data is abducted, Charlotte and Wes are the only ones able to go after him.
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing but Charlotte and the new and improved transporter devices :) Plz r/r.**

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"And that should just about do it." Charlotte tapped a button on the device on the table and looked at Wesley. "How will we know if it works?"

"We'll have to try it sometime." Wes studied the computer screen. "According to these equations, it should strengthen the signal by 60%."

"That's a lot!" Charlotte exclaimed. "When will we get to try it?"

"I don't know. Ok, now we know how to assemble it, we can replicate the parts. Can you do that? I have to get to the Bridge."

"Sure, go ahead. Leave it to me."

Wesley left, and Charlotte got to work.

_* * * * * *  
A few hours later…_

Charlotte had just finished the third beacon when the red alert signal activated. Moments later, the ship lurched and shook, and she had to grab the table. Who was firing on them?

The shaking stopped, and she heard the sound of power going down. Then another sound permeated the air- that of gas flowing through the ship. Charlotte instinctively held her breath, but had to let it out after a few minutes. Expecting to fall asleep or start coughing, she was surprised when neither happened. She stood up.

"Wesley Crusher to Charlotte! Are you there?"

Charlotte tapped the panel on her wall. "I'm here, Wes. What's going on?"

"I need your help!"

"I'll be right up."

Moments later she was on the Bridge. Her mouth fell open when she saw Wes gazing upon the whole Bridge crew lying lethargically in their chairs, sweat dotting their faces, obviously sick.

"What happened?"

Captain Picard opened his eyes and tried to talk, but all that came out was a croak. The others didn't even try to communicate.

Wes shook his head in disbelief. "A ship came out of nowhere and started firing on us. The shields went down and they somehow managed to release gas onto the ship. Next thing I know, Data's been transported off and the crew is sick! Look at them, they've all got fevers and…"

"Wait, wait, wait… Data's gone?" She looked around with rising panic. It was true; the android was nowhere to be seen. "Where is he? On the ship?"

"Probably."

"But why aren't we sick?"

"I don't know. Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher to Dr Crusher. Mom, are you there?"

"Wesley, what's wrong?"

"Oh, good, you're ok. I need you to come and see what's wrong with everybody. The crew's sick and…"

"I'm afraid it's not just the Bridge crew. Almost everyone on this deck is sick. It seems to be some kind of Flu, but I can't identify it yet. Which means I have no cure."

"Ok. We'll just have to hide in this nebula till you find one."

Charlotte looked on the view screen at the swirling colours of blue and purple. Her mouth became a firm line. "The crew is incapacitated, and Data's been abducted. I'm not going to sit around and do nothing. Wes, you're coming with me." She grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the turbo lift.

"I can't just leave the ship!"

Charlotte ignored him and grabbed the newly finished transport beacons.

Wes tried again. "It'll be dangerous! Captain Picard might be angry!"

"I don't care, Wes." They left her quarters and got back on the lift. "You are going to modify a shuttlecraft so that we won't be detected, and we're going to get Data back. I'll take full responsibility for any consequences. It's not like Picard can court-marshal me. Now come on!"

In the shuttle bay, Charlotte opened the door to a craft and deposited her bag inside. Wesley started the departure sequence and opened the shuttlebay doors.

As he sat down at the controls and started to slowly ease the shuttle out, Charlotte tapped his badge. "Charlotte Hope to Dr Crusher."

"Crusher here."

"Any progress?"

"Perhaps. I'm engaging intensive scans on one of the crew and also sampling the air for any leftover gas. I'm hoping I might get a clue from that. What are you doing?"

"Data's been abducted. Wesley and I are going to rescue him."

"Wait, you can't…"

"There's no time to argue." Charlotte looked on the scanner. "We'll soon be out of communicator range. Good luck finding a cure."

"See you later, Mom." The signal fizzled out, and Charlotte sat at the other controls.

"Can you find the ship's trail?"

"I've locked on."

"Okay, there are your tools. I think you know what to do."

"Yeah, but the shuttle…"

"I've been studying, and I know how to fly a shuttle. Your job is to make sure they don't detect us. Please get to work."

"Yes, sir."


	2. Chapter 2

Wesley checked the scanner and looked out the window. "We're approaching the ship."

"Scanning it." Charlotte studied the control screen. "Found him. Can you get a transporter lock?"

"No. I don't think he's got his comm badge, and the signal is too weak. There seems to be some sort of dampening field or force field over him."

Charlotte glanced at the new transporter beacons. "I knew we'd need them, but how to get them down there… Have they noticed us yet?"

"They can't detect us at all."

"Good work." Charlotte thought for a moment. "I need to get down there and set them up without anyone noticing. Wes, could you keep them occupied for a few minutes?"

Wesley paled. "How? You want me to engage them?"

"Only for a few minutes. Knock out their engines or something. They're pretty small, and their weapons…" She tapped the controls and looked at the screen. "You can dodge torpedos, can't you?"

"I think so, but…"

Charlotte grabbed her bag. "At the same time you beam me down, try to get their attention. Keep your eyes on the transporter lock. When it gets stronger, beam us aboard, knock their weapons out and get out of here. Got it?"

Wes looked terrified, but he nodded. "Got it."

Charlotte stood up and took a phaser from it's holder. Stuffing it in her waistband, she slung the bag over her shoulder. "Beam me as close to Data as possible. Energize!"

Wes gulped and did as he was told.

Charlotte looked around the ship as she materialised. It was dark, but she could make out Data, lying on a bed. When she approached, she was pushed back by a field surrounding it.

She examined the controls in the corner and pressed a few buttons. The field dropped and she ran to Data.

"Data! Data, my love, are you awake?" she whispered, shaking him gently. His eyes stayed closed. Charlotte tried to ignore her hammering heart and the rising panic, and examined him for injuries.

There were marked on his skin where someone had tried to puncture it, and a needle laid discarded on a bench, its end bent. Nothing serious-looking. She kissed his hand, grabbed his badge which was lying nearby, and started laying out the beacons. As she did, she heard the sound of weapons fire, and the ship shook a little. She hoped Wesley was able to dodge them.

"What are you doing? Who are you?"

Charlotte turned to face the owner of the angry voice. It was too dark to see his face. "I'm Charlotte Hope, from the USS Enterprise. I've come to take back my friend."

He stepped forward, exposing red skin lined with deep wrinkles. "I cannot allow you to do this. How did you get on?"

"Never mind about that. I'm taking him back, whether you like it or not."

The alien pressed a button on the wall. "Suula to Bridge! Intru…"

Charlotte quickly pulled out her phaser, closed her eyes, and shot. The alien crumpled to the floor, stunned, and she quickly finished with the beacons. She pressed a button on the side and took Data's hand.

They materialised on the shuttle, and Charlotte left Data on the floor and took her place at the console.

"Now what?" Wesley cried as he made the shuttle veer to the left to avoid a torpedo. He sounded panicked.

"Take out their weapons! Quickly!"

"That might be difficult…"

"Try! Meanwhile, I'll beam back down and try to take out their warp drive."

She armed herself with a second phaser, pinned on Data's badge, and beamed down to the ship's engineering section. As she materialised, red aliens jumped away. She held up her phasers and gestured threateningly at them. "Nobody move. I'm armed and dangerous. Now, show me to the controls for warp drive.

One of them, who she presumed to be the Chief Engineer, stepped forward angrily.

"I will shoot you," Charlotte said calmly.

He sneered and stepped forward again, and Charlotte shot him.

"Don't worry, he's not dead, but you might not be so lucky. Now, warp controls?"

One of them pointed to a panel, and Charlotte shot it, causing sparks to fly everywhere. Amidst the cries of outrage, she decided to shoot a few more things for good measure. Sparks flew all over the room, and one console burst into flame.

"Wesley, get me back up there now!"

As she began to materialise, she shot into general direction of the warp core.

"Warp is down!" she heard, and then she was back on the shuttle.

She was just in time to see Wesley deliver a volley of torpedos to a certain spot on the ship. All firing ceased.

"We did it!" Charlotte cried, scanning the ship quickly. "They've lost warp drive and weapons. They should be dead in the water for a little while. Let's get out of here!"

They turned the shuttle around and headed by the way they came.

Later, Charlotte left her seat and crouched next to Data, who was still lying on the floor. She carefully felt his back and pressed a switch, and the android sat up stiffly. He looked around, confused.

"Are you all right?" Charlotte asked worriedly.

Data's eyes finally settled on her face. "I am undamaged, but…"

Charlotte threw her arms around him joyfully. "I was so worried!"

"I am confused as to how I got on this shuttle."

Charlotte pulled away. "I'll tell you later. Right now, we have Captain Picard to worry about. I wonder if Dr Crusher has the cure yet?"

"Oh, that reminds me!" Wesley got up from the controls and Charlotte hurriedly took his place. "I have to fix the shuttle so that Enterprise will detect us."

Data got up and took his place at the other panel. Charlotte beamed at him.

"Mission accomplished!"


	3. Chapter 3

Beverly had indeed found the cure. First she revived her nursing staff, and gave them hyposprays to use on everyone else. Then she headed to the Bridge.

As soon as Captain Picard was able to, he stood up and scowled. "What was that?"

"A concentrated form of Cerinean Flu," answered Beverly, reviving the crew one by one, "Infused with their own secret recipe, whoever 'they' were. Only me, Wesley, his friend, and a handful of the crew were not affected by it. I'm still trying to figure out why. Thankfully it wasn't powerful enough to be incurable. And it wasn't deadly at all. They wanted to incapacitate you, not kill you."

"Where's Mr Crusher?" asked Riker, straightening up.

Beverly looked slightly guilty. "They've gone to rescue Commander Data."

"What?" Picard's face took on a look of disbelief. "A couple of children have mounted a rescue mission against an enemy we know nothing about? What madness is this?"

Worf looked at his screen. "Captain, I am detecting a shuttle coming within range. It is one of ours."

"Life signs?"

"Two humans… and Data."

"So, it seems the mission was successful." Riker nodded, impressed. "Not bad for a couple of kids."

"Lieutenant, scan for other ships. They might have followed them."

"No other vessels in the vicinity, Captain. The shuttle is docking."

"Good."

When the three shuttle occupants entered the Bridge, Picard confronted them with a frown. "Commander Data, it's good to have you back with us. Mr Crusher, Miss Hope, please join me in my ready room."

Leaving Data to the others, Charlotte and Wesley followed the Captain to his room. Once the door had closed, he turned to Wesley.

"Mr Crusher, I don't know where to start. You…"

Charlotte stepped forward. "Excuse me for interrupting, Captain, but the mission was my idea. Wesley didn't want to have any part of it, but I made him help me. Please don't punish him for something I did."

"Ah." Picard studied Wes for a moment longer, then turned to Charlotte. "Miss Hope, we are, of course, extremely glad that Commander Data has been returned, but that does not exclude the fact that you threw caution to the wind and launched a mission that was clearly a great risk to you and your friend's life without even thinking of the consequences. It was dangerous to not only you but to this ship; they might have followed you here…"

"I understood the risks, Captain, and I knew perfectly well what the consequences may have been. But we not only brought back Data but disabled the enemy ship as well. I know it was dangerous and stupid, but Captain, you must understand, I couldn't just sit and do nothing while the crew was incapacitated. Data is so, so important to me, maybe more important than my own life. I couldn't let him be taken apart or experimented on. I couldn't."

Captain Picard stared at her for a long time. Finally, a smile graced his lips, and he put a hand on her shoulder. Charlotte smiled back, tears pricking the edges of her eyes. After a while, Picard pressed her shoulder and let her go. "Dismissed," he said softly to both of them.

Charlotte and Wesley walked out onto the Bridge. Wes took his station at the helm, and Charlotte looked around at everyone, smiling. Before anyone could say anything, she walked into the lift. The doors closed.

Later, in Ten-Forward, Charlotte sat at the bar and smiled at Guinen. "One small chocolate sundae, please. Were you affected by the gas?"

"Yes." Guinen replicated the dessert and slid it across the bench. "Which is funny, since I'm not usually affected by anything. But that doesn't matter anymore. What does matter is a certain act of heroism that I've heard about." She gave Charlotte a significant look.

Charlotte took a bite of her sundae to avoid having to say anything, but her face betrayed her. Guiden leaned close. "You were very brave."

"No I wasn't," Charlotte whispered, not looking at her. "I was terrified. But…" she raised her eyes and looked at Guinen's face, "Wouldn't you do the same for someone you loved?"

The bartender smiled and moved over to another customer. "Yes, I would." Her eyes flicked over to the door, and Charlotte followed her gaze. Data had entered Ten-Forward and was heading for her.

He sat down on the seat next to her and fixed his yellow eyes on her grey ones. "I would like to express how grateful I am to you, but I am unsure of how to do it."

"Data, a simple thank you will suffice."

"Thank you." He paused. "But one thing puzzles me. Why would you risk your life to save me?"

Charlotte put down her spoon. "Data, you are important to me. I could not imagine a life without you. Do not wonder at my risk-taking. I would do it again and again if I needed to." She stood up. "Now, enough. Let's play chess."

Guinen looked over at the couple as they set up the chess board, and she sighed. For now, at least, everything was alright.


End file.
